It took the Houthis at least a month to enter the Iran conflict in late March and early April and the Yemeni rebels have been largely restrained since a Pakistan-brokered truce began last month.
But they have not exactly been idle either. A report from Conflict Armament Research (CAR) found the Houthis have been expanding their arsenal, mainly through illicit shipments of what are thought to be more advanced weapons from Iran-linked arms supply networks.
At the same time, the group has threatened to launch more attacks if the US and Israel resume their military campaign in Iran, causing fears such escalation could also choke off international shipping in the Bab Al Mandeb Strait.
In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher examines the risks that come with the Houthis’ expanding weaponry and the role the group could play next in, and beyond, the Iran conflict.
She speaks to Rob Hunter-Perkins, one of the CAR report's authors, and Jovan Ilijev, from the Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium.
